


How to make money without trying

by BlindBibliophile



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-12 14:32:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7938235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlindBibliophile/pseuds/BlindBibliophile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hugo sees something unexpected, and manages to make it work for him as usual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to make money without trying

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Byaghro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Byaghro/gifts), [dysonrules](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dysonrules/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Bet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/606433) by [Byaghro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Byaghro/pseuds/Byaghro). 



> This is my first fanfic and is not betaed so sorry for any mistakes.

Hugo was shocked, so shocked that he did not start planning for a whole five seconds! Al and Scorpius, who would have thought? Then his brain started working again. There had to be a profit in this if he worked at it for long enough.

“Hugo?” Al’s voice dragged him back to the present. “Oh no! You have a calculating look about you. Why do I not think we’ll like where this is going?” Hugo just watched them thoughtfully and Al continued “Don’t even think about bribery, we were going to come clean soon anyway, you’ll just speed things up.”

They were going to come out with it then, that gave Hugo several ideas. As they were not fully ready yet he stalled for time.

“I don’t bribe family!” He was rather pleased with his offended tone of voice.

“Not even your dad?” Damn! How did Al know about that?

“Well, if he is stupid enough to get drunk and snog someone else that’s his own fault. And how do you know about that?”

“Oh, please, I’m not blind. It was obvious, though I hope you didn’t threaten him with going to Aunt ‘Mione.”

“No. It was your father actually.” Hugo was rewarded with an open-mouthed gape. “Anyway, if you worked that out, surely you should have been sorted into Ravenclaw.” It was not exactly a question but Al answered anyway.

“I’m not bright in that way, I can just read people well. Also, I think the sorting hat was so surprised to find a Potter who was in touch with their emotions that it shouted Hufflepuff before it could think properly.” Hugo actually snorted at that, he was just glad that it hadn’t come out as a full laugh. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Plan?” So Scorpius had finally come out of shock and was now able to speak. “What plan?”

“I thought Slytherins were supposed to be crafty.” Hugo said and watched the emotion flash through the young Malfoy’s eyes. “I’m a Ravenclaw Weasley.” Scorpius looked non-plussed at this and Al obviously took pity on him.

“A Ravenclaw Weasley is clever and skint Scorp. There is always a plan with Hugo, and it always involves making money. Now out with it, I need to know whether I should just go and snog him in the Great Hall and get this over with.”

“OK,” Hugo began, “You always study with Rose, James and Lils on a Saturday, don’t you?” At Albus’ nod he continued. “So, here’s what we’ll do…”

XxX

Lily was getting annoyed with her brother’s pining. If only he had been a Gryffindor, this would all have been over weeks, if not months, ago.

“Okay, Al, that’s it. Either shut up about bloody Malfoy, or go over and ask him out!”

“Do you really think I should?”

“Which?” James chimed in and Al looked horrified, clearly there was only one option that was acceptable to him.

“Just go ask him, Al. What’s the worst that could happen?” Rose gasped and looked aghast, but before she could say anything Al stood up and started towards the table of Slytherins studying across from them in the library.

“James, you have to stop him. He’ll get hexed, or worse get his heart broken.” Rose was always such a drama queen. It didn’t matter though. Lily was quite sure that neither of those things would happen. Al was just to damn lucky and as he wore his heart on his sleeve very few people could resist him.

“Oh leave of Rose, this could be fun.” James sounded far to amused for Lily’s liking, but his next words cheered her up. “Fancy a bet on the outcome sis?”

“You’re on. Twenty galleons says that Al gets a date.”

“No way, but he’ll get a punch not a hex. Malfoy will be too shocked to remember any spells.” James laughed, “You’re on!”

Al seemed to be taking forever to reach the table, but as he got closer Hugo turned up.

“What are we doing?” He asked sounding confused for once. Lily was always glad when his Ravenclaw superiority was flummoxed. Now, however, was not the time, so she just waved a hand to quiet him down. She could gloat later. James, though, seemed to have other ideas.

“You’re about to watch me win twenty galleons.” He replied, much to smugly.

“No,” Lily couldn’t help interjecting with a glare, “You’re about to watch me win twenty galleons because this is going to work.” She turned her attention back to Al.

“Lily somehow convinced Al to finally approach Scorpius,” Rose sighed. Hugo must have given her a questioning look. Either that or it was a case of the strange telepathy Lily was convinced they shared. “And then she promptly bet James twenty galleons that Scorpius will agree to date him, instead of punching him in the face. Which is what James is expecting. And frankly, so am I.”

“He could hex him too, that would also count as a win for me.” James put in with a bit too much enthusiasm even for Lily’s taste.

“Thirty galleons says it works.” Hugo said. Lily whooped and pulled him into a hug. She knew she was going to win, but Hugo had just confirmed it. He would never risk losing money.

“How could you vote against…”  
“Where are you going to find that kind of…” James and Rose spoke over each other.

“Shut up and look.” Lily spat. She could do without an argument marring her victory. Thankfully everyone did as she said. They watched as Scorpius reached up and took hold of Al’s tie.

“Great, now I’m going to have to go and break up a fight.” Rose groaned, standing, but was silenced as Scorpius pulled Al down into a pretty impressive kiss. Lily couldn’t contain herself and did a victory dance in her chair. She was vaguely aware of Rose leaving, probably to douse the two boys in cold water, but snapped out of her celebrations at her older brother’s voice.

“How did you know?” James was staring at Hugo with astonishment.

“I caught them in the greenhouse last night.” Hugo shrugged and Lily could not stop herself from cackling with glee.

“Enough sis,” Al’s voice brought her back to reality and she was just about to ask why he wasn’t with Scorpius when he continued, “Now whichever of you betted against me had better pay Hugo. And I am taking half of the winnings you owe to the other.” Lily’s jaw dropped open and she turned to look at James, who had a similar look on his face.

“But,” she stammered, “but you’re a Hufflepuff.”

“And I have been dating a Slytherin for three months, and have a very clever Raveclaw cousin,” Al smirked, “now pay up, or I’ll tell mum you were betting on my love life.” He turned and winked at Hugo, and Lily gave in to defeat. If those two were in on this together, there would be no escape. The her brain clicked into gear.

“Hang on, three months?”

**Author's Note:**

> I read The Bet and loved the idea of Hugo manipulating his family. This just evolved from there. By the way, if you haven’t read The Bet, do so now. It’s a lovely piece of humourous fluff. All dialogue from when Hugo enters the library to when Al returns is taken straight from The Bet and therefore not mine. All characters are property of JKR and this was written for fun not profit. No copyright infringement is intended.


End file.
